Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Minescip, Mineskip 1086 DB 1224,1240 FF

• Men(e)scipe 1166 P

• Menschipe 1167 P

• Menskip 1444 NCWills 1546 YChant

• Mænschipe, Manschipe 1168 P

• Manskip 1316 Vill

• Minskip(pe), Mynskip(pe), Mynskyp e.13 MaryYi,102 1251 FF 1301 YI 1331 Ass5 1554 PRAld

• Mynschip 1276 RH

Etymology

As Ekwall has suggested, this is from OE  (ge)mǣnscipe 'community, communal holding', an interesting but by no means rare use of an abstract noun, found also in Manship W 441; cf. also (ge)mǣnnes. The early raising of ǣ (ē ) to -i - is noteworthy (cf. Phonol. § 17); -sk - for -sh - is due to Norse influence.